Peanuts, your Highness? The British Royal Family is now flying coach

London's Daily Telegraph reports that Prince William, heir to the throne of Britain, is now insisting he fly in economy class in an effort to keep his traveling expenses down.

Last month, when the heir to the throne of Britain went on a skiing vacation in Courchevel, on a flight to Switzerland, he and his girlfriend, Kate, took a right upon entering the British Airways aircraft, and sat amongst the rabble. "I think a lot of people on the flight didn't even realize who they were," said a courtier.

From now on, whenever William's small security detail allows it, he'll fly in coach. Like corporate businessmen worldwide, he's economizing by avoiding first and business class whenever he needs to travel. (One British paper's version of the flight says William gave his first-class seats to Kate's parents.)

The kid had some good

role models. William, as the son of Lady Diana, has always shown a smart sense for keeping step with the public. His father, Prince Charles, has also been a substantive good example in his campaign for climate awareness, prioritizing train travel above private jets, and taking his staff out of cars and putting them on bikes (a green effort that also has the benefit of being cost-conscious). The Queen herself, who isn't likely to join her grandchildren amongst the hoi polloi, has at least held off purchasing a new £7 million private jet, sticking instead to an older plane.

If there's one person on Earth to whom you'd think class distinction would matter, it's the future King of England. It's a sign of the age, though, that even he prefers to be the People's Prince and squeeze in between the armrests.